


Fleeting glances

by KangKorandKoloth



Series: Assorted Shunnao One Shots [1]
Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Memories, Subtle flirting, poor attempt at humour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 20:03:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3823015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KangKorandKoloth/pseuds/KangKorandKoloth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some flirting to liven up a dull Captain's meeting and a little bit of reminiscing on Nanao's part. Enjoy</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fleeting glances

They say the eyes are the window to a person’s soul. If that was the case then Nanao could feel her Captain’s soul burning into her from across the room. It wasn't constant, they were supposed to be paying attention to the Captain Commander after all, but every so often his gaze would hone in on her again and linger just long enough for her to notice. It felt like she was standing under a spot-light. 

Her face felt hot, she hoped she wasn't blushing; it would stand out a mile if she was. Glancing from one side to the other, she was relieved to see that Lieutenants next to her were too engrossed in the discussion to pay her any heed. The Captains on the opposite side of the room were another matter, whether they cared or not, if she were blushing they’d definitely be the first to see. The thought of someone commenting, however well meaning, was enough to want the ground to open up and swallow her.

She bent her head, demurely staring down at her feet and adjusting her glasses hoping to draw attention away from anything there was to see; all the time still wanting this to be academic and that there really was nothing to see.

Without warning, it was gone. Like the flick of a switch, the intensity of his gaze had moved away, lifting an invisible weight from around her.

Taking the opportunity she discretely scanned the line of Captains, searching for him. He was standing between Captains Kuchiki and Komamura at the front of the room, head turned away from her looking toward the Captain Commander; playing the ever attentive subordinate. She could barely see his face; that damn hat obscured most of it and from where she was what she could see was a blank slate, giving no indication he’d even looked at her at all.

Nanao wondered if she’d imagined it, if that the overwhelming feeling of his eyes bearing down on her was a trick of the mind. That would make more sense. There was no reason for him to be watching her; anything that needed to be discussed would be so after the meeting, there was no reason at all for him to try and catch her eye like this. It was a pretty childish thing for her to stew over she reflected. Nevertheless, she couldn't quite shake that feeling it really had happened and that he was behind it. She needed to get a grip.

How long had she been looking at him now? It couldn't have been more than 10 or 20 seconds, not much longer than any look shot in her direction imaginary or otherwise. She wondered if he’d noticed her looking at him, if he felt her eyes upon him and if it seared into him the same way his had to her. If it had, he still didn't show it, his expression hadn't changed in all this time.

She’d been watching him for an uncomfortably long time now. Too long, she needed to look away and quickly otherwise she’d be in for a whole world of teasing once they were back in the barracks. She could see it now; he would be in his element, making quips about how he captivated her and musing about how much his little Nanao-chan must adore him. It wasn't even like it was untrue, he’d known the depths of her feelings towards him for a while now and it wasn't as if he’d ever tried to hide his passion for her. Even so, they still loved to fall back into their old routine; he would flirt and pester trying to raise a reaction from her. It would work like a charm, she never seemed to be able to help herself and she would frown, admonishing him, maybe going so far as to scold him about proper conduct in the work place. Old habits die hard, especially for them she supposed. If he caught her out now he wouldn't let her forget it, well not anytime soon anyway. The risk of being spotted really wasn't worth it for such a minor gripe.

She quickly flicked her eyes away, returning to stare at the floor and trying to focus on what the Captain Commander was saying. It wasn't often Lieutenants and Captains were called together like this which meant the meeting was important. She’d even been the driving force in getting the both of them there this morning, despite his protestations at the earliness of the hour. Yet she couldn't remember a word said in the last 20 minutes due to this distraction of his. As the person who would be fielding questions later from squad members, it was vital she got a hold of herself and paid attention.

She was finally getting back into the swing of the meeting, making up for her previous lapse by at least being able to repeat a few salient points, when she felt it again.  
This was definitely not her imagination; he was watching her. He was probably aware too that she had looked back a few minutes before. 

Nanao didn't want to give him the satisfaction of reacting; thinking now that was exactly what he’d been aiming for from the get-go. She decided instead to rage inwardly at how juvenile the whole situation was. They were senior ranking officers in a military organisation not two children in the playground, this behavior should really be beyond them. It was beyond her anyway.

Keeping her eyes to the floor she tried to focus on anything but the overbearing pressure of his gaze. Stubbornly deciding if they were really going to play this game then she was going to ensure she won.

The Captain Commander was still droning on, laboring the same point he’d mentioned four times now, the tedium of the subject matter wasn't helping, her thoughts began to wander back towards Shunsui and this damn staring contest. She wondered if he was finding the meeting as dull as she was. Perhaps this was why he’d devised this little distraction, knowing if he kept it up long enough he’d be able to draw her into it. He’d never been one to tolerate boredom for any real length of time.

He hadn't looked away yet and she questioned why. She could feel the heat rising to her face again and squirmed under the prolonged scrutiny. 

Whatever high ground she may have held slipped away as she lifted her stare towards the other side of the room again. She knew whatever happened next she had officially lost.  
He’d shifted his gaze again and Nanao cursed inwardly, knowing she’d missed catching him in the act. He must have looked away at the last minute. The man was infuriating and if she could have gotten away with it she’d have yelled at him to quit it already. If it wouldn't have made her look like a madwoman; what kind of sane person yelled at another for looking at them?

He’d changed position since she’d last looked, facing more towards the center of the room. He seemed to be looking towards the ceiling; his pupils were raised the tiniest bit, maybe she’d caught him off guard, panicked him perhaps. If he’d had time to think things through, he would have looked back towards the Captain Commander.

She held her attention on him, wanting to give him a taste of his own medicine, impishly wishing to make him squirm just like he’d done to her. Starting with his face, she slowly took in his features as if she was seeing them for the first time; examining each detail from his angular jaw, dotted with stubble working her way up towards his temples, a wavy lock of dark hair toppling down across the center of his face stopping just before his lips.

She halted there, suddenly certain the corners of those lips had turned up the tiniest of fractions. Hardly visible unless you were looking for it, if she hadn't been taking her time it would have gone unnoticed. Nevertheless, she’d provoked a reaction from him, even if it did appear he was enjoying this, and struggled to hide her glee, almost betraying herself with a smile of her own.

She might have thought she’d lost before by looking back, but she really hadn't. This was a different type of winning and by God she wanted to win this one. It would serve him right for starting this in the first place.

Bolstered by this minute crack in his demeanor, she pushed forward maintaining her interest on his lips. They were full, some might say plump; the skin slightly darker than the rest of his face.

She’d felt those lips pressed against hers many times before, even now she could feel the gentle brush of them. It sent her heart racing every time. Even in the briefest encounter, his kiss was considerate, measured as if he’d decided this one would be their last and he wanted to savor every last moment. She’d learnt to love that, enamored that he felt strongly enough about her, that he cared enough to want to savor her.  
There had been other kisses before his and if there really was that last time then she was sure there’d be others after him, but they would never be like his kisses. She adored those kisses now.

It had worried her at first, that feeling of temporary. After all the time he’d spent chasing her, it made her think that perhaps he found having not as fun as wanting. It set her on edge, waiting for the assumed inevitable and it wasn't until much later, once she’d made peace with the fact his staying or going was hopelessly out of her control, that she was able to relax about it more enjoy what they had while it lasted. It’d been over a year; the longer he stayed the easier it became, her fears becoming tamer but remaining all the same.

Instinct told her to look away now before she gave the game away. Nanao chose to ignore it not really caring anymore about him catching her out, it was by now abundantly clear to both of them exactly what was going on. Instead she began to cast her eyes down the rest of his body, letting herself examine him in a way she’d never done before. Despite the short distance between the two of them he felt tangibly close to her right now. Nanao could almost feel the heat of his skin, as if she were running her fingers across it from where she stood and let her thoughts drift into that, remembering how he felt to her, all the innate details of him, every lump bump and scar from the from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.

She’d once counted those scars, surprised at just how many he really had. They’d not been together long then and it was retaliation for some throw-away remark she hardly remembered now, something about beauty marks perhaps. 

He’d lain there passively, letting the tally run higher as she worked her way downward, occasionally offering explanation or anecdote about the acquisition of these – not all battle related either, she hadn't realized just how injured you could get from stumbling home after a few drinks. He’d made her laugh, falling into uncharacteristic giggles, as he spun those stories laying out the parts of his life she’d not been privy to until then. He’d always had a gift for story-telling. 

It was probably the most compliant she’d ever seen him, no interference just his eyes upon her as she carried out her self-imposed task. The lack of intervention from him, she found, had been strangely comforting. That he’d allowed her that intrusion, letting her acknowledge what lesser people might have called imperfect, unsightly. They weren't in any case, at least not to her. Every scar, each mark on his body told her the story of the man he was, the man she loved. She’d never told him just how happy it made her to be part of that story now; she hoped she always would be.

Her scrutiny of him finished, Nanao conceded it was time to look away and wait for his next move. She was finding there was a deviant kind of fun to this, if only he knew what was going through her he head right now she’d have had her reaction for sure. For now she’d have to settle for odd insignificant shifts in his position and hope it was down to her actions.

Shunsui seemed to be becoming restless; raising a hand to rub the back of his neck, picking at illusionary threads on the hem of his captain’s haori. The meeting had dragged on far longer than needed now, anyone would be. 

The next move, so anticipated, never came generating a whole new frustration for Nanao.  
Leaving behind giddy thoughts on how to up the ante, her annoyance resurfaced. She wanted to yell at him for roping her in then dropping her like a stone once he was bored. It wasn't like she’d wanted any part of today’s shenanigans to begin with to begin with. She felt cheated out of something and would now have to bluff like hell should any questions about the meeting come her way.

Brooding on just what she’d say to her dear Captain once they were alone and taking comfort in the knowledge she would ensure this was not the end, she paid token attention to the Captain Commander who mercifully seemed to be moving towards dismissing them. 

And then, there it was, he looked back and after she’d all but given up. To her surprise, she looked back, their eyes finally meeting. They stayed like that for more seconds than she wanted to count, too lost in the soft grey of those eyes to really pay attention to trivial things like time. 

She wondered what she should do, it seemed neither of them wanted to be the first to look away, when the sudden noise of the meeting breaking up, jolted them away and back into the room, leaving her unsatisfied at the sudden ending to their encounter. The final bout had been decided for them leading to stalemate. 

People were milling around the room now alive with the sound of general chatter, some filing out as Captains and Lieutenants alike returned to barracks and duty stations. They’d have to make tracks themselves soon meaning she'd probably have to tear him away from whatever conversation he was having. 

Scanning the room she saw him standing with Captain Ukitake, saying their farewells to the two or three Captains remaining. Deciding it was best to leave him to it for now; she remained where she was bidding goodbye to Momo and Renji as the fifth and sixth divisions left, the room feeling empty compared to five minutes ago. 

The brief interlude gave her a few moments with her thoughts, still aggrieved at not being able to make that one last move and claim her victory. She went over again just what she would have done next and how sweet that silent victory would have been, the memories stirred by her efforts happily lingering letting her finally break into that smile she’d been hiding. Maybe next time, if there was a next time, she’d beat him at his own game. 

“Nanao, you ready?”

His voice was a bolt from the blue and she jumped at the unexpected sound. Lost in her musings, he’d managed to walk up behind her, gently tapping her on the shoulder to get her attention. She nodded, her smile telling him all he needed to know as she fell in beside him and they walked towards the door into the welcome fresh air of the seireitei.


End file.
